Range hood with filtering means therein



Dec. 13, 1966 F. M. HENNE RANGE HOOD WITH FILTERING MEANS THEREIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6, 1964 R O T N E V m FRED 'lVl. 'HENNE ATTORNEYS,

Dec. 13, 1966 F. M. HENNE 3,291,029

RANGE HOOD WITH FILTERING MEANS THEREIN Filed April 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOK FRED M. 'HENIUE 1:75 BY 7/ ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,291,029 RANGE HOOD i l/1TH FILTERI'LWG MEANS THEREIN Fred M. Henne, 108 William Howard Taft Road, Cincinnati, Ohio Filed Apr. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 357,630 8 Claims. ((Il. 93--.-115) This invention relates to an improved range hood structure or the like as well as to an improved method for filtering smoke from a range or the like.

It is well known that various range hoods have been provided for extending over the smoke producing means, such as a cooking range or the ilike to expel the rising smoke from the smoke producing means through an exhaust system. However, such range hoods need filter means so that the smoke and the like can be filtered before the same is directed into the exhaust means.

In the past, such range hoods had the filter means thereof so constructed and arranged that the same were visible in the range hood and, thus, caused an unsightly appearance because of the collected filtered media thereon.

Further, when such prior known filter means are to be changed or cleaned, the removal operation thereof usually resulted in the filtered media falling down on the range and other structure to cause a subsequent and excessive cleaning of the range and the like.

According to the teachin s of this invention, however, the above disadvantages of prior known range hoods are eliminated in a unique and novel manner.

In particular, this invention provides a range hood which is adapted to extend over the smoke producing apparatus as Well as over a vertically extending duct means having the lower end thereof interconnected to a conventional exhaust system.

Improved filter guiding and holding means extend between the range hood and the upper end of the duct means so that the filter means carried thereby are completely out of sight.

Further, the range hood is so constructed and arranged that the same is adapted to direct the rising smoke from the smoke producing means in a downward manner through the top surface means of the filter means so that the smoke and the like can be filtered by the filter means before the same enters the duct means and, subsequently, the exhaust system.

When it is desired to change the filter means of this invention, the same are adapted to be changed at access means provided in opposed end walls of the range hood in a unique and novel manner.

In particular, the access means at the opposed end walls of the range hood can be opened and new filter means inserted in one end thereof whereby the old filter means will be pushed out of the other access means to be removed from the range hood in an out-of-way relation relative to the range or the like so that no dirt and the like will fall on the range or the like.

Further, the filter means of this invention can include roller means thereon to further facilitate the sliding or rolling relations-hip thereof in the guiding and holding means of the apparatus of this invention whereby filter changing operations can be simply and effectively accomplished.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved range hood or the like having one or more of the novel features of this invention as set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for filtering smoke or the like from smoke producing means or the like, the method of this invention having one or more of the novel features as set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

ifilfilfi Patented Dec. '13, 1966 Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparaent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view illustrating the improved range hood of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the filter guiding and holding means of this inventlon.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating the improved filter means. of this invention.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for filtering the smoke from cooking ranges or the like, it is to understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide filtering means for other devices as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, an improved range hood structure of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a pair of vertically extending structural walls 11 resting on a suitable supporting surface 12 which is also adapted to support the cooking apparatus or smoke producing means in a manner hereinafter described.

The vertically extending side walls 11 slant outwardly at the upper ends 13 thereof and are suitably secured to bracing structure 14 which supports a range hood 15 above the upper ends 13 of the walls 11 and out over the supporting structure 12 on the opposite sides of the walls 11 in the manner illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

A plurality of vertically extending ducts 16 extend between the side walls 11 of the range hood structure 10 and have -lower ends 17 adapted to be interconnected to a suitable exhaust system, such as an air blower which tends to suck air out of the lower ends 17 of the duct means 16.

Each duct means 16 has an upper open end 18 disposed centrally below the range hood 15 in the manner illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

A pair of like filter holding and guiding means 19 are horizontally disposed under the range hood 15 and extend between opposed end walls 20 thereof in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3, the filter guiding and holding means 19 being secured to the upper ends 13 of the vertical walls 11 in any suitable manner.

Each filter holding and guiding means 131 has an inwardly facing channel 21 facing a channel 21 in the other member 19 throughout the lengths thereof.

Each opposed end wall 211 of the range hood 15 has a door or access means 22 provided therein in aligned relation with the channels 21 of the guiding and holding means 19 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A plurality of filter members 23 of this invention as illustrated in FIGURE 5 carry a plurality of rollers 24 which are adapted to be received in the channels 21 and roll on the members 19 in the manner illustrated in FIG- URES 3 and 4 so as to be placed along the filter guiding and holding means 19 throughout the length thereof.

For example, to initially insert the filter means 23 in the range hood structure 10 of this invention, one of the doors 22 at one of the opposed end walls 26 of the range hood 15 can be opened and the filter means 23 can be pushed therein in a serial manner to be fed longitudinally down the filter guiding and holding means 19 until the entire filter holding and guiding means 19 are filled in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The range hood has a pair of longitudinally disposed and arcuately cross-sectioned members 25 secured to the under surface 26 thereof so as to form a flow path in the manner indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 3.

The operation and method of this invention will now be described.

Assuming that the smoke producing means are disposed on opposite sides of the vertical walls 11 in FIGURE 3 and that the same are producing smoke through a cooking operation or the like, the rising smoke is adapted to be directed under the range hood 15 and impinge against the under surface 26 thereof in such a manner to be drawn around the arcuate sections 15 into a downward direction toward the open end 18 of the duct means 16 by the influence of the suction of the exhaust system.

Thus, the smoke is directed downwardly by the arcuate sections of the range hood 15 so as to pass substantially vertically through the horizontally disposed filter means 23 to be filtered thereby before the same pass to the duct means 16 and be exhausted out of the lower ends 17 thereof by any suitable exhaust system.

Therefore, it can be seen that since the smoke is drawn through the upper sides of the horizontally disposed filter means 23, the filter means 23 are out of sight and cannot drop undesirable particles on the cooking apparatus or the like.

Further, when it is desired to change or clean the filters 23, the access means 22 in the end walls 20 of the range hood 15 can be opened and new filters inserted in one of the access means 22 to serially push out the old filter means out of the other access means in an out-of-way relation from the cooking apparatus whereby the filter changing operation will not soil the cooking apparatus.

However, it is to be understood that the old filter means can be withdrawn from one of the access means and, thereafter, new filter means be replaced through that particular access means if desired.

Since the filter means 23 have rollers 24 provided thereon, it can be seen that the same can be readily changed even though the length of the range hood 15 is relatively long, if desired.

If desired, a plurality of electrical light means 27 can be secured to the slanting portion 13 of the vertical walls 11 to provide lighting for the cooking apparatus.

Therefore, it can be seen that not only does this invention provide an improved range hood structure having many novel features and advantages over prior known range hood structure or the like, but also this invention provides an improved method 'for filtering smoke [from smoke producing means or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a substantially vertically disposed duct having an open upper end which terminates in a substantially horizontal plane, and having a lower end interconnected to an exhaust system, a relatively wide hood, means supporting said hood above and spaced from said open upper end of said duct, the hood extending a substantiall distance laterally beyond a side of said duct to overlie smoke producing means positioned adjacent to said side of the duct, said hood having opposite end walls provided with access means, means on the underside of said hood and over said open upper end of the duct for directing smoke rising from said smoke producing means inwardly and downwardly into said open upper end of said duct, filter holding and guiding means, means supporting said holding and guiding means in operative position over said open upper end of said duct, said filter holding and guiding means being connected to opposite sides of the duct, and filter means supported upon said holding and guiding means over the open upper end of said duct whereby said smoke is drawn downwardly by the exhaust means through the said filter and into the underlying open upper end of said duct, said filter means being changeable through said access means of said hood end walls.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 with roller means on said filter means and wherein said holding and guiding means are adapted to have the filter means roll thereon.

3. In combination, a substantially vertically disposed duct having an open upper end which terminates in a substantially horizontal plane, and having a lower end interconnected to an exhaust system, a relatively wide hood, means supporting said hood over said open upper end of said duct, the hood extending a substantial distance laterally beyond opposite sides of said duct to overlie smoke producing means positioned adjacent to said opposite sides of said duct, said hood having opposite end walls provided with access means, arcuate means on the underside of said hood positioned to effect the directing of smoke rising from said smoke producing means inwardly and downwardly into said open upper end of said duct, filter holding and guiding means, means supporting said holding and guiding means upon said open upper end of said duct, and filter means positioned upon said holding and guiding means below said arcuate means on the underside of said hood between the latter and the open upper end of the duct whereby said smoke flows downwardly through the said filter means into the open upper end of said duct, said filter means being changeable through said access means in an end wall of the hood.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 with supporting rollers on said filter means, and said holding and guiding means are adapted to support said rollers to facilitate changing the filter means through said access means.

5. An exhaust hood structure for a smoke producing means such as a cooking range and the like, said structure comprising a means providing a supporting surface for a smoke producing means, a duct connected at one end to and rising from and to a substantial height above said supporting surface means and adapted for connection in the lower end portion thereof to an exhaust system, said duct having an open top end, a hood structure having end walls and having a transverse dimension substantially greater than the open top end of the duct, means supporting the hood structure upon the top end of the duct over and vertically spaced from the said open top end of the duct and extending in the direction of said transverse dimension a substantial distance beyond at least one side of the duct to overlie a smoke producing means positioned adjacent to the duct upon said supporting surface, a pair offilter supporting and guide means extending between said end walls, means supporting said guide means in a substantially horizontal plane above said open top of the duct beneath the hood structure, said guide means being spaced apart in the direction of said transverse dimension of the hood structure, a filter element supported by and between said spaced support and guide means substantially in alignment with the longitudinal center of said duct, means connecting each guide means with the adjacent side of the open top of the duct and preventing passage of smoke into the duct between the guide means and the side of the duct adjacent thereto, and said hood structure including a curved lower surface adapted to direct the smoke rising from a smoke producing means inwardly and downwardly toward said filter for passage through said filter into said open top end of the duct.

6. The invention according to claim 5, wherein said filter supporting and guide means includes opposing chan nels extending between said end walls in operatively aligned relation with said access means, and rollers carried by and on opposite sides of the filter element for rolling engagement in said channels.

7. An exhaust hood structure for a smoke producing means such as a cooking range and the like, said structure comprising an elongate duct, means supporting said duct substantially vertically, said duct having an open top end and having a bottom end adapted for connection with an exhaust system, a hood structure having end walls and having a transverse dimension substantially greater than the open top end of the duct, the hood structure being transversely arcuate, means supporting the hood structure upon the top end of the duct over and vertically spaced from said open top end of the duct, and extending a substantial distance laterally beyond opposite sides of the duct to overlie smoke producing means adjacent to said sides, spaced parallel filter supporting means extending between said end walls in a plane above said open top of the duct, each of said supporting means having an outer side connected to a side of the open top of said duct, said spaced supporting means having channeled inner sides forming guides for opposite sides of a filter element, a filter element having rollers on opposite sides thereof for rolling engagement in said guides for removably supporting the filter element between the guides, at least one end wall having an access opening aligned with the said guides for facilitating placement of the filter element in and removing it from operative position between the supporting means, and said hood having means upon the underside thereof and overlying the filter element for directing smoke rising from the smoke producing means downwardly toward the filter element for passage therethrough into the duct.

8. An exhaust hood structure for a smoke producing means such as a cooking range and the like, said structure comprising a pair of spaced Vertically supported walls having upwardly extending laterally diverging top end portions, a plurality of vertical ducts between said walls and having open top ends connected to the divergent top end portions of said walls, a range hood overlying the divergent top end portions of said walls and the open top ends of said ducts, a bracing structure connected to said wall portions and the top ends of said ducts and supporting said hood over and spaced above the ducts and the wall portions, the hood having opposite end walls and having a transverse dimension substantially greater than the open top ends of the ducts and the divergent top portions of said walls and extending laterally beyond opposite sides of said walls to overlie smoke producing means positioned adjacent to said opposite sides of the walls, at least one of said end walls having an access opening therein, a pair of spaced filter holding elements extending between said end walls over the open top ends of said ducts, said elements having outer sides secured to the divergent top ends of said walls and to said ducts, said holding elements having spaced inner side parts, said inner side parts having channels in opposed relation and aligned with said wall access opening, filters disposed across the space between said inner side parts of said holding elements, rollers on said filters mounted in said channels, and transversely arcuate members secured to and extending longitudinally of the underside of said hood and extending on downwardly curving arcs toward the underlying filters for directing smoke rising from the smoke producing means inwardly and downwardly to the filters.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,392,038 1/1946 Gaylord 98-115 2,564,087 7/1951 Warren 98l15 2,974,663 3/1961 Humbert 98-115 3,011,492 12/1961 Humbert 98115 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, Examiner.

1 M. A. ANTONAKAS, Assistant Examiner, 

1. IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED DUCT HAVING AN OPEN UPPER END WHICH TERMINATES IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE, AND HAVING A LOWER END INTERCONNECTED TO AN EXHAUST SYSTEM, A RELATIVELY WIDE HOOD, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID HOOD ABOVE AND SPACED FROM SAID OPEN UPPER END OF SAID DUCT, THE HOOD EXTENDING A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE LATERALLY BEYOND A SIDE OF SAID DUCT TO OVERLIE SMOKE PRODUCING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT TO SAID SIDE OF THE DUCT, SAID HOOD HAVING OPPOSITE END WALLS PROVIDED WITH ACCESS MEANS, MEANS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID HOOD AND OVER SAID OPEN UPPER END OF THE DUCT FOR DIRECTING SMOKE RISING FROM SAID SMOKE PRODUCING MEANS INWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID OPEN UPPER END OF SAID DUCT, FILTER HOLDING AND GUIDING MEANS, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID HOLDING AND GUIDING MEANS IN OPERATIVE POSITION OVER SAID OPEN UPPER END OF SAID DUCT, SAID FILTER HOLDING AND GUIDING MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE DUCT, AND FILTER MEANS SUPPORTED UPON SAID HOLDING AND GUIDING MEANS OVER THE OPEN UPPER END OF SAID DUCT WHEREBY SAID SMOKE IS DRAWN DOWNWARDLY BY THE EXHAUST MEANS THROUGH THE SAID FILTER AND INTO THE UNDERLYING OPEN UPPER END OF SAID DUCT, SAID FILTER MEANS BEING CHANGEABLE THROUGH SAID ACCESS MEANS OF SAID HOOD END WALLS. 